Salisbury School Tax May Rise 3.6 Mills

A 3.6-mill tax increase in a tentative 1985-86 budget was passed last night by the Salisbury Township School Board to offset increased costs for salaries, benefits and instructional expenses.

The budget, which passed unanimously, totals $8,645,000, up $533,600 from this year's. It raises the millage rate to 66 and would raise real estate taxes on a home assessed at $12,900 (the average residential assessment in the district) to $851 a year from $804.

In each of the last two years the school district raised taxes by five mills. Finance committee chairman James P. McFadden said that the 3.6-mill increase may represent a trend that future tax increases will be smaller.

"That's possible," he said, adding that the district has taken steps to tighten administrative and other expenses. Final adoption is expected in June. A mill brings in about $75,000.

The largest increase in proposed expenditures for 1985-86 is for salaries - which are up $437,831 - and benefits, which have risen $157,683 (15 percent), said McFadden. Instructional expenses rose $68,951.

McFadden said Salisbury was the only school district in the area to receive the minimum funding increase, 2 percent, from the state. Other districts received between up to 5.5 percent. "Once again Salisbury squeaked by at the minimum," said McFadden.

This year the district is receiving $1.84 million in state aid, and next year it will rise to $1.86 million. McFadden and other school directors have been meeting with state legislators in efforts to get more state funding, but so far little has been accomplished.

The state, said McFadden, claims that Salisbury needs less state funding than other districts because of a declining enrollment, increasing values of residential properties which could reap higher local taxes and increasing income levels among Salisbury residents.

Because the township has a small industrial base, the brunt of the taxes fall on residents. In budget meetings last year a number of township residents spoke out against yearlytax increases.

The budget calls for no educational program cutbacks and includes hiring an additional teacher. According to McFadden, about 76 percent of the budget comes from local taxes; 23 percent from state aid and 1 percent from federal funds. In 1979 state aid made up 49 percent of the budget.

In another finance-related issue, the board unanimously voted to hire Berkheimer Associates, Bangor, to collect the district's Act 511 taxes - per capita, earned income and occupational privilege. Berkheimer was hired recently by the district "on a trial basis" to collect delinquent earned income taxes.

The firm has collected $10,000 of $45,000 outstanding. The hiring of Berkheimer will relieve the township's part-time treasurer - to be elected in November - of collecting Act 511 taxes. The treasurer will collect only real estate taxes.

The Salisbury Township Commissioners, who have been working with the school district toward implementing a more effective tax collection policy, are also expected to approve the hiring of Berkheimer for Act 511 taxes at their meeting tonight.

In other business, the board approved district involvement in the development of an aquatic ecology curriculum. Salisbury will join the Parkland, East Penn and Allentown School districts along with Cedar Crest and Muhlenberg colleges in putting together a comprehensive curriculum from kindergarten through college.

The project is the first in the state to involve school districts. The funding will be split between the school districts, colleges and private enterprises.

The project will be overseen by the Lehigh Valley Conservancy. Philip Klotz, Pool Wildlife Sanctuary director at the conservancy, said the curriculum would teach students how to appreciate and preserve watersheds and the environment, especially the Little Lehigh Creek.

Teachers and professors from the school districts and colleges will assist conservancy members and others in compiling a curriculum with 45 activities. The project will be three years in the developing, and Salisbury's cost will be $1,000 in each of those years.